alone, I went off, following her directions:
through the farmyard, past the cattle-pond, into the ashfield, beyond
into the higher field with two holly-bushes in the middle. I arrived
there: there was Betty with all the farming men, and a cleared field,
and a heavily laden cart; one man at the top of the great pile ready to
catch the fragrant hay which the others threw up to him with their
pitchforks; a little heap of cast-off clothes in a corner of the field
(for the heat, even at seven o'clock, was insufferable), a few cans and
baskets, and Rover lying by them panting, and keeping watch. Plenty of
loud, hearty, cheerful talking; but no minister, no Phillis, no Mr
Holdsworth. Betty saw me first, and understanding who it was that I was
in search of, she came towards me.

'They're out yonder--agait wi' them things o' Measter Holdsworth's.' So
'out yonder' I went; out on to a broad upland common, full of red
sand-banks, and sweeps and hollows; bordered by dark firs, purple in
the coming shadows, but near at hand all ablaze with flowering gorse,
or, as we call it in the south, furze-bushes, which, seen against the
belt of distant trees, appeared brilliantly golden. On this heath, a
little way from the field-gate, I saw the three. I counted their heads,
joined together in an eager group over Holdsworth's theodolite. He was
teaching the minister the practical art of surveying and taking a
level. I was wanted to assist, and was quickly set to work to hold the
chain. Phillis was as intent as her father; she had hardly time to
greet me, so desirous was she to hear some answer to her father's
question. So we went on, the dark clouds still gathering, for perhaps
five minutes after my arrival. Then came the blinding lightning and the
rumble and quick-following rattling peal of thunder right over our
heads. It came sooner than I expected, sooner than they had looked for:
the rain delayed not; it came pouring down; and what were we to do for
shelter? Phillis had nothing on but her indoor things--no bonnet, no
shawl. Quick as the darting lightning around us, Holdsworth took off
his coat and wrapped it round her neck and shoulders, and, almost
without a word, hurried us all into such poor shelter as one of the
overhanging sand-banks could give. There we were, cowered down, close
together, Phillis innermost, almost too tightly packed to free her arms
enough to divest herself of the coat, which she, in her turn, tried to
put lightly ov